Today marks the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkiye.

Axar.az reports that on October 29, 1923, the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye proclaimed the country a republic.

Two years later, in 1925, a law was adopted designating October 29 as the day of the founding of the Turkish state.

Following the Ottoman Empire’s defeat in World War I, its territories were occupied. The struggle led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk culminated in the victory of national forces in 1923.

From 1923, Turkiye operated under a parliamentary system of government. The country transitioned to a presidential system in 2018.

Turkiye’s first president was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who served from 1923 to 1938.

The current president is Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His Justice and Development Party (AKP) first won parliamentary elections in 2002 and has remained the country’s ruling party since then.

Today, Turkiye is a member of numerous international organizations, including NATO, and is a major political actor on the global stage. Ankara also plays an important role in strengthening integration among Turkic states, particularly through its activities within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).